Spotify celebrates a decade of bringing K-Pop to the world

K-Pop ON! anniversary campaign to feature Spotify Singles headlined by ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON, and STAYC

Spotify announced the anniversary celebrations for K-Pop ON! (온), its global K-Pop flagship playlist dedicated to giving listeners a platform to discover and tune in to the best from the genre. To commemorate this milestone, the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service will be launching a special series of Spotify Singles headlined by ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON (of MONSTA X), and STAYC. 

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An homage to a shared passion for K-Pop, and the artists who started it all 

Centered around the theme of “My First K-Pop Crush”, these Spotify K-Pop ON! (온) Singles feature covers of songs by the sunbaes (senior artists) who first fueled their love for K-Pop. It’s not just a nod to every fan’s journey into the genre, which began with that first K-Pop artist who made their heart flutter with their artistry and flair, but also a call to K-Pop fans around the world to join in the celebration of a shared passion for the genre, and the artists who started it all. 

The Spotify Singles for the K-Pop ON! (온) First Crush campaign are set to drop exclusively on Spotify every two weeks, starting with ENHYPEN’s release on February 16. SHOWNU X HYUNGWON’s Spotify K-Pop ON! (온) Single will launch next on February 29, followed by STAYC’s release on March 15. 

With every launch, listeners can also look forward to a series of exclusive bonus content on Spotify’s K-Pop ON! (온) Video Podcast and YouTube channels. From performance videos to behind-the-scenes content and more, Spotify will be letting fans in as we unpack the stories of the performing artists’ First K-Pop Crushes, the significance behind their song selection, and how the original artists inspired their journey in K-Pop. 

“Beyond the celebration of our commitment to helping K-Pop travel the globe and connecting Korean artists with fans and new audiences, Spotify’s K-Pop ON! (온) First Crush campaign is also a powerful expression of how K-Pop touches lives, spreads positivity, and unites listeners regardless of where they are from or the language they speak,” said Jungjoo Park, Korea Head of Music, Spotify. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON, and STAYC to bring the first-ever Spotify K-Pop ON! (온) Singles to the world, and kickstart the movement in celebrating the shared love for the genre.”

Celebrating a decade in bringing K-Pop to the world 

As part of its efforts to drive discovery and bring K-Pop to its global audience, Spotify launched its flagship playlist for the genre in 2014. Since then, K-Pop ON! (온) has been “saved” by over 5.3 million Spotify users worldwide and racked up billions of streams for Korean artists – scaling the genre beyond regional boundaries, languages and cultures. 

In fact, since 2015, the number of yearly streams from the playlist has seen a whopping 5647% increase globally. The Philippines is the playlist’s third biggest market, after the United States and Indonesia in the first and second spots, respectively. Brazil, Mexico, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan and Germany also made it to the top 10 list, reflecting the global demand for K-Pop.

In addition to establishing itself as a key destination for fans to unite over a shared passion for the genre, K-Pop ON! (온) has also become one of the most important hubs for artists to get their music discovered and reach listeners worldwide. 

In 2023, Spotify expanded its K-Pop ON! (온) franchise with the launch of its K-Pop ON! (온) Video Podcast and YouTube channels. From game-show content, to interviews, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and more, the channel brings fans closer to their favorite idols while delivering the scoop on the latest music in K-Pop. 

The power of the Spotify platform, along with its intentional mindset of driving music discovery, has fueled the massive acceleration of K-Pop streams. Since 2018, K-Pop streams on Spotify have increased by 182% in the United States, 423% in Southeast Asia, and 362% globally. Locally, K-Pop has also skyrocketed in popularity, recording a 343% growth in Spotify streams between 2018 to 2023. 

From once being a genre that was mostly enjoyed regionally, the top export markets for K-Pop on Spotify now comprise the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, India, Brazil, Malaysia and Canada.